GM recalls 36,000 crossovers over tire pressure

General Motors Co is recalling more than 36,000 Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain small crossovers worldwide to repair the tire pressure monitoring system, the US automaker said on Wednesday.

The recall affects cars built for the 2012 model year. GM said the system may fail to alert to the driver when a vehicle's tire pressure falls below federal standards.

Underinflated tires can result in tire overloading and overheating, which could lead to a blowout and possible crash, GM said in a statement. Premature wear of tires can also lead to poor handling and fuel economy.

Nearly 34,000 of the recalled vehicles are in the United States. The rest are in Canada, Mexico and six countries in the Middle East. The vehicles were built from July 18 through September 6 of this year, according to a notice on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.

The system should set off a warning light when the tire pressure is 25%below the recommended cold tire pressure levels.

But in the affected vehicles, the warning light does not turn on until tire pressure is more than 25% below recommended levels.